Horne vows funding for armed campus officers despite federal pause

School safety is not negotiable

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne has committed to cover any gaps in funding for armed campus officers whose salaries are paid through federal funds currently under review by the U.S. Department of Education.

Horne said, “School safety is not negotiable. Making sure schools have armed officers on campus to protect students, educators and staff is one of my highest priorities. Since taking office, the number of armed officers on campuses in Arizona has increased from 190 to 572. We must ensure that if an armed maniac attacks a campus, there is a trained law enforcement officer on site to respond. A small number of officer positions are funded by federal dollars that are paused for review by the U.S. Department of Education. Therefore, I have directed the state’s school safety office to provide the money needed to cover any gaps in that funding. There is enough state money to make sure all these positions are funded and no campus that already has an officer on site will lose that position.”